New Irish Rail CEO appointed

So the UK brain drain to Ireland continues.

First Theresa Villiers took up the role of Northern Ireland Secretary, and perhaps not a minute too soon in light of recent developments at her former department!

Now Eye understands that David Franks, currently at Keolis, is heading across to the Emerald Isle to become CEO of Irish Rail when Dick Fearn retires in February.

A challenging role at a railway that is under significant financial pressure.

UPDATE: This the note circulated to Iarnród Éireann colleagues this morning...

Dear Colleagues,

In July, I informed you of my decision to retire from Iarnród Éireann in February 2013.

Yesterday, following a special meeting of the IE Board, the chairman announced the name of my successor.

He is Mr David Franks, a lifelong railwayman from England with extensive front line railway management experience, both in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

David (55) began his railway career at just 16 years of age, as a junior member the station staff at Salisbury in the south of England.

Subsequently, following many years in line management positions with British Rail and its successor companies, David has, in more recent years, led a number of rail businesses, including the train operations of National Express in the UK and the Stockholm Metro system in Sweden.

He is currently employed by Keolis, the UK division of the French National Railways, SNCF.

David will join Iarnród Éireann early in the New Year and I do hope you will extend the same warm welcome to him as you did to me when I joined the company back in 2003.

Regards, Dick Fearn
 

The luck of the Irish

Eye had a right royal craic last night!

Those nice people at Railtours Ireland hosted a champagne reception at St Pancras yesterday evening, to celebrate their daily Boat Train from London to Dublin .

Whilst taking an innocuous phot of RI supremo Jim Deegan and the mighty bottle used to refresh guests, another tableau inadvertently appeared in the frame...

The Fact Compiler can only wonder what Virgin's Leathley and Stagecoach's Stacpoole were discussing...

Irish News: The spirit of Dr B lives on in the Emerald Isle

Telegrammed by our man at Buggleskelly
Rail chiefs in the Emerald Isle have come up with a master plan to revive the flagging fortunes of their lightly used lines, including the famed Limerick Junction to Waterford route.

Iarnród Éireann seem determined to copy the worst ideas from Britain's Department for Transport and have proposed acquiring a hybrid railbus from Japan, or even a Parry People Mover, to cut the operating costs of the 54 mile line.

Wags are already scouring the land for an elastic band of suitable size.

According to Irish Rail's Spin O'Meister, Barry Kenny, the vehicle is one of a number of cost-cutting options on the route which sees only 54,000 passengers a year.

Seasoned observers of the Irish rail scene have better ideas.

Perhaps IE might actually promote the route or even provide a timetable that gives useful connections out of Limerick Junction. A Sunday service might also help.

To be fair Kenny appears to be doing his bit.

In May highly respected Irish Times hack Brian O'Connell travelled the line. Sadly he had to suffer a 61 minute wait for a connection at Limerick Junction.

With the best will in the world this sort of journey won't make for a compelling travel piece.

Of course this may be exactly what Irish Rail chiefs want.

Any increase in passenger numbers would scupper plans to close the line.

Which is why the case for a hybrid railcar appears so compelling.

With the option to run the railcar in road mode the line between Limerick Junction and Waterford could then be closed for 'essential maintenance' - permanently!

Irish News: IE backing Ahmadinejad

This from the Irish Independent last week...


Controversial Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is campaigning to be re-elected on the plank that his country is advancing as rapidly as a train, only the train in question is Irish, almost as old as he is and until 2007 was delivering freight around the country.

There's a pun here somewhere about Gerrymandering but in the current climate probably best not to make it.

UPDATE: This from Andrew Grantham over at the Railway Gazette...

An Irish diesel?

That's nothing - look at the train on the top of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways website!

Beats an exported Pacer.